Latino Daily News

Security Concerns cause Honduras to Temporarily Close Consulate in Mexico

Two Honduran diplomats were briefly kidnapped in Vera Cruz Mexico this past weekend. Forcing Honduras to temporarily close their consulate office there and to warn Mexico it will consider closing more consulates if Mexico can not guarantee the safety of it’s diplomats.

Authorities have released a statement that the kidnapping took place on Saturday night and was led by members of the municipal police in Vera Cruz. There was a police chase leading to a vehicle crash and after several hours both diplomats were found handcuffed in different towns near Vera Cruz.

The Governor of the Mexican state of Veracruz, Fidel Herrera, denied today that the Honduran Vice Consulate had been the victim of a kidnapping, and said the officer was, in fact, arrested for “excessive celebration”.

Herrera said he informed Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón of what happened, and never was there an attempt to “kidnap” the men. Three people were celebrating outside the building housing the consulate, and they were temporarily detained while their identity could be verified.

The Honduran consul, Morazán Raúl, believes that words were taken out of context. Deputy Foreign Minister, Alden Rivera, had said that, “Officials detained and sequestered us with the vehicle and took us to an undetermined location.”